The Wasimi Community Development Association (CDA), Mile 12 in Ikosi-Isheri Local Council Development Area of Lagos State has appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reverse the approval of the demolition of 90 properties in the community.
The CDA said a suit on the matter is before Justice L.A.M. Folami of Court 34, General Civil Division, Ikeja Division, Lagos State.
The community urged the governor to investigate officials of the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development and the Lagos State Building Control Agency over a planned conspiracy with a property developer on the matter.
Its Chairman, Mr. Kingsley Afinjuomo, refuted allegation by the ministry that the area is fraught with defective structures, lack of building plan approval and a den for criminals for which they hoodwinked the governor into signing the obnoxious demolition order.
The community, he said, was populated by civil servants and retirees who bought land validly and were law-abiding for more than 50 years.
According to him, officials of the ministry stormed the area on March 15, 2018 and last July 24 to paste demolition notices on properties within the community, citing lack of evidence of planning permit from the state government and the nullification of the title authority upon which the buildings and structures were erected.
Afinjuomo explained that no single property owner has had his or her title to land challenged by anybody in court since they bought the land.
He said the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development in 2018 requested that property owners without building plan permits should begin immediately the process of obtaining same, while it informed those with building plan permits that they had nothing to fear. The CDA chief said those who heeded the instruction of MPP & UD in 2018, as regards the building plan permit processing, are yet to be given their approvals despite paying the MPP & UD assessed fees in 2018.
According to him, officials of the ministry conspired with a property developer to rely on a court judgment the community has no knowledge of.
Source: thenationonlineng.net
